Half of house hunters say they want more space, but then do not end up using it

Last updated at 11:59 03 December 2007

Just under half of house hunters say they want more space when looking for a new home but many people fail to use it when they move in, a survey showed.

Around 48 per cent of people looking to move said the amount of space a property offered was one of their main criteria, with 52 per cent looking for a house with at least one spare room, according to Yorkshire Bank.

But despite being prepared to pay extra for a larger home, 26 per cent of people admitted they have at least one room that sits empty for most of the year, usually a spare bedroom or a dining room that is only used for Christmas dinner.

At the same time 45 per cent of people said they could not keep their car in the garage because it was too full of junk, and 16 per cent said their conservatory had been overtaken by bicycles and children's toys.

Four out of 10 people say they like to view a house that is fully furnished so that they can get a realistic idea of how much space there is.

44 per cent said they looked for homes where there is the potential to create more space, such as through an extension, loft conversion or conservatory.

Although people want as much space as possible in their house, 27 per cent said they would be prepared to sell off part of their garden to a neighbour or developer to make some money.

Gary Lumby, Yorkshire Bank's head of retail, said: "While location still tops the charts of 'must haves,' space is now the new frontier."

"However, once we've got it - and in most cases paid a premium for it - we often don't use it in the way we intended."

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Half of house hunters say they want more space, but then do not end up using it